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Marketing in:
Pharma & Life Sciences

Marketing in:
Engineering & Utilities

Operating at the intersection of human health and scientific innovation, and spanning a vast ecosystem of research, development, manufacturing, and distribution. This sector is built on strict science, tight rules, and proven medicine.
Companies work on everything from everyday medicines to cutting-edge gene treatments. The breadth ranges from multinational corporations developing blockbuster drugs to specialised biotech firms pioneering novel therapies.

Science Meets Commerce
Medical experts lead the science and testing. But business teams make the commercial choices.
Navigating Complex Stakeholders
They understand complex healthcare systems with many decision-makers. This includes doctors who prescribe, pharmacists who dispense, insurers who pay, and buyers who choose suppliers.
Global Market Complexity
Each market operates under different regulatory frameworks and pricing mechanisms. Commercial teams must adapt strategies across territories whilst managing multiple approval processes and reimbursement pathways.
The Universal Challenge
The shared challenge is simple: getting treatments that work from the lab to the patient

UK life sciences: £94 billion turnover, 250,000+ jobs
Ireland pharma

UK Life Sciences:

£100 billion sector value
300,000 employees across 6,850 businesses and 7,910 sites
£108.1bn annual turnover
Third largest goods export by value (2024)
17% of all UK business R&D spend (highest of any sector)

Ireland Pharmaceuticals:

€56.6bn exports (2024) - second largest in EU
50,000 employees
60% of Ireland's total exports
Largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in EU

exports: €116 billion annually (15%+ of GDP)

ECONOMY

Importance of Marketing

Pharma and life sciences marketing is hugely important and uniquely complex. It must balance commercial goals with regulatory responsibility, scientific accuracy, and ethical standards whilst often communicating to multiple audiences simultaneously.

The Educational Imperative

Marketing bridges the gap between scientific innovation and patient access. Unlike other sectors that simply promote products, pharma marketing revolves around education. It translates complex clinical data into clear messages for doctors, patients, investors, and policymakers. This education drives treatment adoption, patient adherence, and market access.

Operating Under the Microscope

Every message operates under strict regulatory oversight. Compliance with bodies like ABPI, MHRA, and FDA means marketing cannot oversell or mislead. Everything must be factual and balanced, often including risk information. These constraints make clarity and strategic thinking even more critical for success.

Evidence-Based Impact

Through evidence-based communications and multi-stakeholder engagement, marketing ensures breakthrough treatments reach the patients who need them whilst building the trust and reputation essential for long-term commercial success.

Marketing in:
Pharma and Life Sciences

Sector Nuances

The fundamentals of marketing are consistent across industries. However, here are some of the nuances specific to pharma and life sciences if you're considering hiring or exploring a marketing opportunity in the sector.

Evidence-based storytelling

Every marketing claim must be supported by clinical data and regulatory approval. Success means translating complex scientific evidence into compelling narratives that resonate with healthcare professionals whilst maintaining absolute accuracy. You're not selling products - you're communicating treatment options.

Multiple decision-makers in every sale

A single prescription involves prescribing doctors, dispensing pharmacists, paying insurers, and receiving patients. Each audience has different priorities and information needs. Marketing must educate and influence across this complex decision-making chain whilst respecting each stakeholder's role.

Digital transformation changing engagement

AI-powered personalisation and omnichannel experiences are becoming essential for healthcare professional engagement. Patients increasingly demand clear medical content through digital channels, telehealth, and social communities. Marketing must meet them responsibly whilst navigating new influencer marketing opportunities and misinformation risks.

Cybersecurity as marketing concern

Increased connectivity across marketing platforms, supply chains, and digital systems makes cybersecurity a board-level marketing issue. Protecting patient data and maintaining system integrity is now fundamental to marketing operations and brand reputation.

PR and communications are essential to building trust, especially in a crisis

In pharma and healthcare, reputations can be shaped or shattered overnight. From clinical trial outcomes to product recalls or misinformation on social media, PR and comms teams play a critical role in protecting public trust. Crisis preparedness, clear scientific messaging, and ongoing engagement with media, stakeholders, and the public are core to effective marketing in a sector where confidence and patient safety are always on the line.

Regulatory compliance as creative constraint

Strict regulations govern what can be said, how, and to whom. New rules enforce clearer risk communication and tighter controls on social media content. These constraints force creativity within narrow parameters, making clear, impactful communication more challenging and more valuable.

Overview

Operating at the intersection of human health and scientific innovation, and spanning a vast ecosystem of research, development, manufacturing, and distribution. This sector is built on strict science, tight rules, and proven medicine.
Companies work on everything from everyday medicines to cutting-edge gene treatments. The breadth ranges from multinational corporations developing blockbuster drugs to specialised biotech firms pioneering novel therapies.

Science Meets Commerce
Medical experts lead the science and testing. But business teams make the commercial choices.
Navigating Complex Stakeholders
They understand complex healthcare systems with many decision-makers. This includes doctors who prescribe, pharmacists who dispense, insurers who pay, and buyers who choose suppliers.
Global Market Complexity
Each market operates under different regulatory frameworks and pricing mechanisms. Commercial teams must adapt strategies across territories whilst managing multiple approval processes and reimbursement pathways.
The Universal Challenge
The shared challenge is simple: getting treatments that work from the lab to the patient

Economy

UK Life Sciences:

£100 billion sector value
300,000 employees across 6,850 businesses and 7,910 sites
£108.1bn annual turnover
Third largest goods export by value (2024)
17% of all UK business R&D spend (highest of any sector)

Ireland Pharmaceuticals:

€56.6bn exports (2024) - second largest in EU
50,000 employees
60% of Ireland's total exports
Largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals in EU

Importance of Marketing

Pharma and life sciences marketing is hugely important but uniquely complex. It must balance commercial goals with regulatory responsibility, scientific accuracy, and ethical standards whilst often communicating to multiple audiences simultaneously.

The Educational Imperative

Marketing bridges the gap between scientific innovation and patient access. Unlike other sectors that simply promote products, pharma marketing revolves around education. It translates complex clinical data into clear messages for doctors, patients, investors, and policymakers. This education drives treatment adoption, patient adherence, and market access.

Operating Under the Microscope

Every message operates under strict regulatory oversight. Compliance with bodies like ABPI, MHRA, and FDA means marketing cannot oversell or mislead. Everything must be factual and balanced, often including risk information. These constraints make clarity and strategic thinking even more critical for success.

Evidence-Based Impact

Through evidence-based communications and multi-stakeholder engagement, marketing ensures breakthrough treatments reach the patients who need them whilst building the trust and reputation essential for long-term commercial success.

Marketing in the
sector

Long development cycles create strategic thinking

Products take years to develop, allowing time for comprehensive market research, strategic planning, and sophisticated campaign development. Marketing decisions have lasting impact.

Global reach with local expertise

Campaigns often span multiple countries, requiring cultural sensitivity, regulatory knowledge, and healthcare system understanding. International experience develops quickly.

Purpose-driven work with measurable impact

Marketing success directly contributes to patient access, treatment adoption, and healthcare outcomes. The connection between work and human benefit is clear and motivating.

Evidence-based messaging drives everything

All claims must be supported by clinical data and regulatory approval. This creates marketing that's credible, trustworthy, and effective with expert audiences who value scientific rigor.

Multiple expert audiences require tailored approaches

Marketing to clinicians, researchers, procurement teams, and patients each demands different expertise, messaging, and channels. The variety keeps work engaging and builds broad marketing skills.

Regulatory frameworks ensure quality and safety

ABPI, MHRA, HPRA, and GDPR guidelines require thorough review processes but ensure marketing maintains the highest standards of accuracy and patient protection..

PRODUCT MARKETING

Strategic bridge between scientific teams and commercial success.

Develops positioning and go-to-market strategies based on clinical evidence, competitive analysis, and market needs.

TRADE & DISTRIBUTOR MARKETING

Builds partnerships and channel strategies to ensure products reach healthcare settings effectively.

Creates materials and programs that support complex supply chains and specialist partners.

SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Translates clinical data into accessible formats for healthcare professionals, researchers, and stakeholders.

Combines scientific accuracy with clear communication across multiple channels.

DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS & ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Develops multi-channel campaigns within healthcare advertising guidelines.

Uses data analytics to optimize engagement with healthcare professionals and measure campaign effectiveness.

Patient Marketing & Advocacy Manager

Creates patient-focused communications and partnerships with advocacy groups.

Balances empathy with regulatory requirements to support patient understanding and access.

Brand & Medical Communications Manager

Manages organisational reputation and medical messaging across stakeholders.

Ensures consistent, compliant communication that builds trust with healthcare professionals and patients.

An internal perspective

Internal Stakeholders

Marketing collaborates closely with medical affairs, regulatory teams, clinical development, sales, and commercial leadership.

Cross-functional teamwork is essential for successful product launches and campaigns.

Working Dynamics

Methodical approach with structured approval processes ensures quality and compliance.

Planning cycles are longer but allow for thorough strategy development and stakeholder alignment.

Communication Style

Evidence-based, clear, and professional. All communications must be scientifically accurate, regulatory compliant, and sensitive to patient needs and healthcare professional expertise.

Perception of Marketing

Valued for supporting product access and healthcare professional education.

Recognition growing as digital health and biotech sectors demonstrate marketing's strategic importance for patient outcomes.

Hiring Considerations

Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to work with complex information essential.

Scientific background helpful but not required if combined with curiosity about healthcare and patient impact.

Success Traits

Intellectual curiosity, patience with thorough processes, empathy for patient needs, and ability to communicate complex concepts clearly.

Thrives on meaningful work with measurable human impact.

Marketing roles in:

Pharma & Life Sciences

Acts as the strategic link between R&D, commercial, and medical teams to guide go-to-market strategy. Builds positioning based on clinical data, competitive landscape, and market need — driving uptake and differentiation.
Bridges clinical outcomes with economic messaging to secure reimbursement and payer approval.

Creates evidence-based materials for payers, regulators, and healthcare providers to demonstrate value and cost-effectiveness.

*Payers: Organisations responsible for covering the cost of treatments, such as the NHS, private insurers, or healthcare funders.
Translates complex clinical data into accessible messaging for healthcare professionals and stakeholders.

Combines scientific accuracy with clarity, often developing materials for congresses, publications, and digital platforms.
Plans and delivers multi-channel campaigns within strict advertising guidelines.

Optimises content through analytics and compliance-aligned targeting across HCP portals, social media, and email.
Develops patient-facing campaigns and partnerships with advocacy organisations. Balances empathy and compliance to support patient understanding, empowerment, and access to treatments.
Oversees reputation and medical messaging across external and internal stakeholders.

Ensures consistent, compliant communication that builds trust across healthcare professionals, patients, and media.

Our
Solutions

Hiring Businesses

Looking for marketing support in pharma or life sciences?
This is a complex space. Layered teams, long product cycles, and strict compliance frameworks mean the right hire makes a real difference.
Feel free to drop us a line to register a role or talk through what you need.

Marketers

Feel free to get in touch to register your interest. We regularly introduce marketing professionals to clients across the UK and Ireland - often before roles are advertised. You’re welcome to send a CV or request a call to discuss what’s next.